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Political Party Origins/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Tim is standing behind a podium giving a political speech. He is wearing a suit and tie. TIM: And, in closing, I'd like to thank the people of Toledo for all their support. You can bet that when I'm elected president, I'll be back here to catch a Mudhens game, visit the Hippoquarium, and eat a Tony Packo hot dog. Uh, any questions? Someone hands Tim a typed letter. Tim reads the letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, can you tell me how political parties in the U.S. got started? From, Jamal. Sure thing. But I'll need my chief political adviser up here to help me out. Moby joins Tim. Moby is also in a suit and tie. He is carrying an easel and posters for a presentation. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Thank you. When George Washington was first elected president in 1789, there were no political parties. An image shows George Washington. TIM: In fact, nobody even ran against him. Not then, and not when he was reelected in 1792. Both times he won every single vote in the Electoral College, the body of representatives that officially votes for the president. A map shows the original thirteen United States voting unanimously for George Washington. MOBY: Beep. An animation shows Washington riding a horse in a victory parade. Onlookers throw roses. Banners read, We love George. TIM: Well, Washington was a unique figure. His military victories during the Revolutionary War had earned him the support of nearly every American. An image shows Washington in an official pose. A sign to his side reads, George is a fine bloke. TIM: They also made him a respected figure on the international stage. Even the British had to admire his skill and dedication. Washington believed that political parties would weaken the strength and unity of the brand-new United States. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, it didn't quite work out that way. An image shows Washington with his four advisers. TIM: When Washington took office, he and Congress created the Cabinet, a team of four presidential advisers. Together, they were supposed to chart a new course for the young country. But they didn't always agree with one another. Take Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State. The image of Washington and his cabinet darkens, except for Thomas Jefferson. TIM: Jefferson owned a plantation in Virginia. An image shows Jefferson holding a pitchfork, standing in front of his home. TIM: And he believed that the country should be led by independent farmers and landowners like himself. He opposed a strong federal government because it would limit these folks' individual rights. To Jefferson, the best government was one that governed least. On the other side of the coin, you had Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury. The image of Washington and his cabinet darkens, except for Alexander Hamilton. TIM: Hamilton couldn't have been more different from Jefferson. He was from New York City, and had worked as a banker and a lawyer. Side by side images show Hamilton and Jefferson. Again, Jefferson is holding a pitchfork in front of his home. Hamilton wears sunglasses and a contemporary suit while talking on a cell phone. TIM: Um, I don't think he looked like that. MOBY: Beep. Moby replaces the image with one of Hamilton wearing early American clothing. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Anyway, Hamilton believed that the federal government should be strong and financially independent. To achieve this goal, he set up a national bank; the U.S. mint to physically produce money; and the first federal tax system. His policies favored northern merchants, investors, and manufacturers. Images show examples of the businessmen Tim is describing. TIM: To help push his plans through Congress, Hamilton reached out to his friends, and also to the business leaders from America's largest cities. A map shows the early United States, with graphics indicating the nation's major manufacturing centers. Moby whispers in Tim's ear. MOBY: Beep. TIM: My adviser informs me that these people formed the Federalist Party, America's first political party. To oppose them, Jefferson and his friend, Virginia congressman James Madison, formed the Democratic-Republican Party. An image shows Jefferson standing with James Madison. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah. After that, things started getting nasty. Pretty much every politician in America was forced to choose a side. A political map shows the thirteen states divided between the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. TIM: As you might expect, the Federalist Party was popular in the North, while the Democratic-Republicans were strongest in the South. In 1796, candidates from the two parties faced off in the nation's first contested election. Jefferson lost to Federalist John Adams in a close race. A pie chart illustrates the election's fifty-one percent to forty-nine percent results. TIM: In 1800, though, Jefferson became president, and the balance of power tipped toward the Democratic-Republicans. A pie chart illustrates that election's fifty-three percent to forty-seven percent results. TIM: After Hamilton died in 1804, the Federalist Party slowly withered away. An image shows Hamilton's tombstone. TIM: And with no real opponents, the Democratic-Republican Party broke into rival groups in 1824. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah. That eventually set the stage for the formation of the Democratic and Republican parties, which you can learn more about in our Political Parties movie. An image shows Democratic and Republican T-shirts, with an American flag in the background. MOBY: Beep. TIM: This is true. Throughout our country's history, lots of different parties have appeared and disappeared, but since the beginning, our government has been based on a two-party system. That means that, for most elections, two parties tend to dominate the voting. Tim looks at his audience. TIM: So, are there any other questions? The audience of various ages, races, and genders is asleep. One man in the front row is snoring. TIM: Oh, man. Am I really that boring? Category:BrainPOP Transcripts